Barbara Kingsolver's novel, "Unsheltered," delves into the lives of two families, separated by two centuries, residing in the same neighborhood during times of turmoil. The story unfolds through alternating chapters, focusing on the challenges faced by Willa and Thatcher as they navigate a world undergoing significant cultural shifts. The narrative explores themes of crisis, change, and the resilience of the human spirit amidst uncertain futures. Kingsolver weaves together the stories of Victorian-era characters and present-day protagonists, shedding light on societal issues and the enduring struggles faced by families striving to find stability.

The novel intricately intertwines the lives of the Knox family in modern times, dealing with financial insecurity, aging, and the quest to salvage a deteriorating home, with the historical account of inhabitants from the 1870s grappling with similar dilemmas. Through vivid storytelling and engaging character dynamics, Kingsolver provides a thought-provoking narrative that touches on themes of nature, science, politics, and the evolving socio-political landscape, drawing parallels between past and present challenges faced by individuals striving to adapt to changing circumstances.

Characters:

Characters are well-developed, each embodying unique perspectives and struggles, with some drawn from real historical figures.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is rich and engaging, though some critics found it excessively didactic or heavy-handed in delivering social and political themes.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative intertwines two families facing collapsing houses and financial despair across different centuries, exploring themes of societal change and personal struggle.

Setting:

The story takes place in Vineland, New Jersey, across two distinct time periods, reflecting both environmental and social changes.

Pacing:

Pacing varies between engaging character development and slower, more lecture-like passages that may challenge some readers.

She took this news as a blood-rush to the ears: a roar of peasant ancestors with rocks in their fists, facing the evictor. But this man was a contractor. Willa had called him here and she could send h...

Notes:

The novel features two parallel stories set in the same location, Vineland, New Jersey, but 150 years apart.

Willa Knox, the modern character, lives in a deteriorating house with her family during a time of financial struggle.

Willa's family consists of her husband, an underpaid professor, her adult children, and her elderly racist father-in-law.

In the 1870s storyline, Thatcher Greenwood is a teacher facing backlash for wanting to teach Darwin's theory of evolution.

Thatcher befriends Mary Treat, a real-life self-taught naturalist who corresponded with Charles Darwin.

The book comments on contemporary issues like climate change, healthcare, and the American political landscape, particularly referencing a character likened to Donald Trump.

The historical context of Vineland was a Utopian community founded by Charles Landis, who faced accusations of murder related to temporary insanity, a first in American history.

Kingsolver uses a dual narrative structure, alternating chapters between the two time periods, with each chapter's last sentence serving as the first line of the next.

The book addresses themes of societal collapse, financial insecurity, and the clash between scientific inquiry and traditional beliefs.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Topics such as suicide, financial stress, and political divisiveness may be triggering for some readers.

From The Publisher:

From the best-selling author of The Poisonwood Bible'Magnificent.' The Times Books of the Year

'Gripping.' Grazia

'Peerless.' Daily Mail

'Wise.' Sunday TimesMeet Willa Knox, a woman who stands braced against a world which seems to hold little mercy for her and her family - or their old, crumbling house, falling down around them. Willa's two grown-up children, a new-born grandchild, and her ailing father-in-law have all moved in at a time when life seems at its most precarious. But when Willa discovers that a pioneering female scientist lived on the same street in the 1800s, could this historical connection be enough to save their home from ruin? And can Willa, despite the odds, keep her family together?

Ratings (10)

Incredible (2)
Loved It (1)
Liked It (4)
Did Not Like (3)

Reader Stats (19):

Read It (12)
Want To Read (5)
Not Interested (2)

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About the Author:

Barbara Kingsolver's thirteen books of fiction, poetry and non-fiction include the novels The Bean Trees and the international bestseller The Poisonwood Bible which, amongst other accolades, won the 2005 Penguin/Orange Reading Group Book of the Year award. Her most recent novel is The Lacuna.

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Unsheltered

Barbara Kingsolver